EllaThe large wooden conference table felt cool and smooth beneath my fingertips as I arranged the files in neat stacks. I could feel my palms getting sweaty with anticipation. This was one of the first significant cases I’d handled solo at the firm, and I wanted everything to be perfect.To add a touch of hospitality, I carefully set out a tray of assorted pastries fresh from a popular bakery downtown.There was a soft knock at the door, and Logan sauntered in. His demeanor was relaxed, in stark contrast to my tight bundle of nerves. “Good morning, Ella,” he greeted, raising an eyebrow at my meticulous setup.“Morning,” I replied with a half-smile, adjusting a paper clip that was slightly out of place. “Thank you for coming.”Before Logan could respond, the door opened again, and in walked the tenant accompanied by his lawyer.I recognized the lawyer from previous interactions around the firm. He was known to be a tough negotiator, a thought which only fueled my anxiety. They settle
EllaThe door to the conference room had clicked shut behind us, muffling the sounds of hushed discussions from inside. The empty stairwell that we found ourselves in was silent, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning.Logan’s blue eyes met mine, his expression unreadable. But I could feel the simmering tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.“Why are you acting like this?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and disbelief.He blinked in surprise. “Acting like what?”“Like some...some greedy, opportunistic landlord! Just grabbing the first offer they throw at you because it’s in cash, without a thought to the illegal dealings behind it. That’s not the Logan you said you wanted to be.”He exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. “Ella, I’m going to handle the illegal side of things,” he said matter-of-factly. “But not by doing the most blatantly stupid thing—rejecting rent from a tenant who’s willing to pay. That’s just bad business.”I stepped closer, poking a fi
EllaThe streets had settled into that dusky, purplish hue that heralded the onset of evening when I recognized the low purr of an engine behind me. The sleek black car pulled up to the curb, and from it emerged Logan, his tall frame poised with that unmistakable confident swagger.“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I whispered to myself, whipping around and picking up my pace.“Ella!” Logan called, followed by the sound of his footsteps pounding on the pavement as he jogged after me.Without so much as giving him a glance, I quickened my steps, hoping to put distance between us.But, with each step I took, I heard the rhythmic footfalls of Logan's shoes against the pavement growing louder. He jogged after me, his long-legged strides easily bridging the gap I had worked so hard to put between us.“Did you get my flowers?” he asked.I had to resist the urge to growl. “Yes,” I replied, not looking at him, “and I threw them away.”“Threw them away? I thought you would like them, or are you no
EllaThe brisk evening air sent shivers down my spine as I approached the entrance to my apartment building. The echo of my heels on the pavement seemed louder in the silence, a rhythmic pulse of my own agitated heartbeat.“You were rather tough on him just now,” a deep voice murmured within my mind. My wolf. Her presence was a gentle hum in the background, a second consciousness that had always been a part of me.Ever since I could remember, she had been there. We were flip sides of the same coin, often bickering, but always there for each other.“He had it coming,” I shot back, pushing open the main door. The lobby was dimly lit, casting soft amber glows across the polished marble floor.“Look, I’m still wary, too. But he was trying to make amends, Ella. It was evident in his actions, in the very way he looked at you.”I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need a lecture from you. It’s not just about today. It’s the principle of it all. He said he wanted to move away from illegal dealings, and
EllaThe crimson hue that painted my cheeks felt hotter than the finest wine.“Dance?” I echoed, a mix of incredulity and apprehension dripping from the word. Logan’s smirk only deepened, his gaze roving over me in a manner that was equally taunting and enticing.“Wine just has a way of making me want to move,” he said, taking a step closer, his body swaying lightly to the gentle rhythm of the song playing in the background. “Especially to a song like this. Don’t you feel it?”Biting my lip, I fidgeted on the spot and took a step back. “I... I don't really know how to dance,” I admitted, though it felt more like a weak excuse to get out of having to get close to him.He raised a brow in surprise.“You? Ella Morgan, heir to the Morgan legacy, doesn’t know how to dance? Weren’t there galas, balls, and all sorts of fancy parties where dancing was practically a requirement?”Rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly, I nodded. “They did make me take lessons. Loads of them. But,” I paused, se
EllaThe soft rays of dawn filtered through the curtains as I stretched, pulling myself from the depths of sleep. After climbing out of bed and slipping my robe around my shoulders, I tentatively cracked open my bedroom door, expecting to see Logan there.I glanced around, my eyes falling on the crumpled blanket on the couch. There was no sign of Logan. Instead, on my coffee table, lay a neat note, written in his sprawling handwriting.“Ella,” it began, “Thanks for a memorable evening. Apologies for overstepping. - Logan.”I sighed, folding the note and tucking it into my pocket. Regardless of the emotions last night had brought, it was a new day, and I had a routine to stick to. Quickly, I changed into my hiking gear — a pair of durable leggings, a lightweight shirt, and sturdy boots. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out, intending to lose myself in nature.The park’s hiking trails were my favorite Saturday morning getaway, a place where I could
EllaThe forest’s lingering scent still clung to me as I made my way back home. My feet moved over the familiar asphalt path, my mind still replaying the events of the day.The feeling of freedom and serenity from my hike, followed by the shock of the attempted mugging and then the mysterious young man’s timely intervention, made for an interesting concoction of experiences that day. I was a bit roughed up after the experience, but also intrigued.As I returned to the hustle and bustle of the city, the familiar sounds were almost a relief after my experience in the quiet woods. I imagined Moana scolding me for not bringing my pepper spray, and my father having a full-blown mental breakdown over it.It was things like these that I decided to keep from my parents. Not because I wanted to hide anything, but because I didn’t want them to worry. If they knew about half of the dangerous things I dealt with in this city, they would be at my doorstep in an instant, demanding me to come home.
Logan“Ready to go?” I finished clasping the necklace onto Ella’s delicate neck, taking note of how my hands threatened to shake just from our close proximity.Ella nodded, grabbing a small purse. She followed me out the door and down the steps of her apartment building, her heels clicking in the quiet atmosphere of the building’s hallways.“So,” I said as we descended through the narrow stairwell, “that dress looks lovely on you, just as it did when you bought it.”Ella blushed slightly. “Thanks. And thank you for the necklace.”I shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. Consider it an… apology.”“An apology?” Ella chuckled wryly as we walked down the stairs. It was an oddly charming sound that I had gotten all too familiar with over the past weeks, ever since I met her. The Alpha Princess had a sarcastic air about her that was honestly a nice reprieve from all of the giggling and useless conversation I had become used to with the sort of women who were interested in me.“Yes, an apology,” I